Billy was feeling as though he was teetering right on the edge of conciousness when Danny spoke again. The small man would not have minded settling down and simply lay on the floor next to Danny for a little while and simply sleep or at the very least doze; something that he always did after they had been together like this. It made him so terribly sleepy.

"Mm..." he responded in a non-committal way as he opened his eyes again to look down at Danny. It didn't really seem to register that he'd been spoken to at first, and the small man crawled forward over Danny to be able to reach the door and nudge it open the fraction that was needed for him to lure his clothes in to the bathroom before closing the door again. Scooting back, Billy was now wearing his glasses as he laid down on Danny; the glasses did little to help his eyesight though, as they rather promptly fogged up.

"You should." Billy then murmured, responding to Danny's earlier statement while idly running the tips of his fingers up and down the bigger man's lower arm and yet again listening to his heartbeats with an ear pressed to his chest. He thought about his brother and how that entire situation had blossomed and then died in an instant, leaving a strange vacuum and tense air in the house outside the bathroom. Expectant. Waiting. The consequences weren't clear and it all depended so much on who would make the first move and how that move would be executed, something that Billy didn't really want to have to plan now, as he felt his capacity to think was still severely limited.

The response garnered a sigh and Danny nodded. He'd expected as much. He couldn't blame Freddie—after all, the betrayal had been very real to him, and broken trust was particularly difficult to repair. Of course, this left him with a problem to solve. He wasn't entirely sure how to handle the boy. He wouldn't talk to him. . .which left only Billy or Tommie to speak to him, and it seemed as though he was too angry in any case to really listen or believe anyone.

And until Freddie calmed about the situation, it was doubtful that Danny would be able to find any peace, aside from the rare moments such as this. Though such moments were nice, made perhaps better by the contrast, Danny didn't think he could live like this for too long. Something would have to be done about Freddie's anger.

The only possible chink Danny could think of in Freddie's anger, the only one he wouldn't turn on: Tommie. If he could maybe just talk to Tommie first. . .have the younger boy intercede on his behalf. . .then perhaps things could begin to take steps towards forgiveness and normalcy again.

Danny shifted then, moving to draw in a deep breath. "Maybe it's best to talk ta Tommie 'nyway," he murmured, threading Billy's ears gently between his fingers, over and over. It was as much calming for him as it was for Billy. "At th'very least, he could help wit Freddie."

_________________Play it across the tableWhat if we steal this city blind?If they want anything, let 'em nail it down. — Carl Sandburg

Billy shifted slightly to lie on the floor next to Danny, resting his head on the bigger man’s shoulder as his ear was caressed. It hardly made it easier to focus and stay conscious and he was feeling himself dipping in and out of sleep already. This had him drawing his head away, knowing that Danny couldn’t be left with the issue alone, didn’t want to and couldn’t. It was too heavy for that, but at the same time Billy was indeed feeling disappointed at not being allowed to simply lie down for a little while and sleep. For some reason he felt entitled to it, even if he knew that this couldn’t just be waited out but had to be dealt with properly. Sooner rather than later.

“He hasn’t been very talkative since you left.” He said, inhaling through his nose and filling his lungs to the brim before exhaling and sitting up to rub his face. Wake up a little. “He’s also in a bad spell… he hasn’t been going to school much, mostly staying indoors in his room or in bed. I think he’d be happy to see you though. He’s always seemed fond of you.”

With the support of the sink Billy stood and reached out to turn off the still running water and then going to get a towel each for them. “Not that I ever really understood Tommie.” He sighed, still feeling sleepiness muddying the waters in his head. “I don’t think anyone really does... But he will help you, most likely.”

When Billy started to get up, so too did Danny, pushing himself up with one hand until he was merely sitting on the floor, pushing his slightly-too-long hair back, threading his fingers through it for a moment before letting the hand fall again. So much to do. . .but it all had to start with Tommie and Freddie. That was the closest to home, the one thing he could try to focus on for now. He would save issues of work and infidelity and bruised love for later. Right at this moment, it was easier to just talk to Tommie.

"I hope he'll talk ta me," he murmured quietly, voice still oddly gruff for the months alone. He frowned a bit at the news of the boy's declining health. "Ya. . .think we should try ta find anathah doc fer 'im? At th'very least, I'll see f'I kin't make a library run an' get 'im some good books."

Danny took the towel when it was offered, still sitting, and started to dry himself, taking his time, trying to sort out thoughts, thinking of what he might have to say, what he should say, and what he shouldn't. After a moment more, he got to his feet and started to pull on his own clothes from the pile on the floor.

He checked himself in the mirror but only found a stranger there, the eyes the only familiar feature. Hair too long, beginnings of a beard, and there was something else different as well. Missing.

He didn't dwell on it.

"Maybe. . .I should talk ta 'im 'lone, ya think?" he asked.

_________________Play it across the tableWhat if we steal this city blind?If they want anything, let 'em nail it down. — Carl Sandburg

Dried and clothed before Danny, Billy watched the man's blurred form move about as he tried to clear his glasses of steam, his bare foot moving his used towel over the floor to clear up some puddles of water at the same time.

"I think it would be hard to go far enough to make him refuse talking to you." he then said in a somewhat distant voice, dropping his eyes from Danny entirely. Like Danny, he was trying to keep his focus on one thing at a time now, as it simply took too much power to juggle them all at once. His father had given him that advice once, to take things one step at a time. That time Billy had been convinced that it was cars this advice was best applied to, but as the years had passed it had become more and more evident to Billy how generic it was; together with the lesson to map the problem out in your head to twist and turn it before attacking it physically. Or verbally.

He sighed softly at the mention of getting another doctor to see the boy. He knew it ought to be done, but whenever he had mentioned it to the boy he'd seemed thoroughly displeased with the idea, or as close to displeased as Tommie could appear. Knowing that it was his responsibility as a guardian to get the boy's health taken care of Billy was guilt-ridden after every reminder that he should get the child to a doctor and every day that he woke up after having procrastinated in doing so, telling himself that Tommie was happier without a doctor.

"We should." Billy simply conceded without delving deeper in to it. "He'd be very happy if you'd take him to the library too, I'm sure. It really seems to lift his spirits, that."

Pausing, Billy put his glasses back on and watched Danny for a second before smiling faintly and reaching up to push his hair back a little. It really was just another testament to all the time that had passed, these physical changes in Danny. Billy didn't truly mind, Danny was still Danny and a bit of a beard and longer might make him look slightly scruffy, but it didn't change that. But something told him, from the way Danny had looked in to the mirror, that there was something about it that haunted Danny. "You should get a hair-cut... Soon you'll look like Freddie." the smaller man murmured before turning around and picking up the towels.

"And yes, you should probably do it alone... He'll only feel crowded if we both go down there."

At the comment of hair, Danny couldn't help that a tired smile spread on his face, a hand going up to run through his hair, as if that could fix it. "Yea, I'll get it trimmed soon. Maybe. . .latah taday." He looked to the mirror again, running a hand over the stubble that he usually never left grow. ". . .Might leave th'shadow tho'," he murmured thoughtfully. "If it don't bothah you none."

The topic of grooming was a much more preferable one to thoughts of how he'd piece his life together again, but it didn't last and he nodded at the implied suggestion. The library. . .he wouldn't mind going himself. Perhaps pick up a few books, if he could find any, on how one gets their life together, changes everything and still is able to hold on to their own identity. Or maybe he could just ask Tommie. The younger boy seemed to know a little something about everything in any case.

"Mm, I think. . .I'll go see if 'e wants ta go out taday, then," he said, adjusting his clothes a bit. "Ta th'library. We could. . .talk on th'way." He started towards the door but paused, glancing back at Billy. Something flickered through his eyes for a moment before he moved, quickly giving Billy a brief kiss before turning again to open the door and slip out to the hall and down the stairs towards Tommie's room.

_________________Play it across the tableWhat if we steal this city blind?If they want anything, let 'em nail it down. — Carl Sandburg

Billy wasn't one to to meddle in people's clothing or how they groomed themselves, if they weren't in his care at least, and so wouldn't tell Danny the the stubble scratched a little, and that if he didn't shave it would turn in to beard and that would feel mighty strange. Not to mention that while it added a slightly interesting roughness to Danny's face, it also felt like a testament to the man's fatigue.

"Not at all." the smaller man instead answered dutifully without a hint to this thoughts in his voice, and he looked up in surprise when Danny didn't leave the room, but instead returned. Fingers twisting in the towels Billy accepted the kiss, but was not sure how to interpret it, and he was left no more clues to that before the door had closed behind Danny's lean back.

In one of the bedrooms on the first floor the small, red-haired boy lay resting in his bed. Tommie was pale, unused to any prolonged exposure to sun as his skin was these days, and he seemed caught in a dilemma between being terribly bored and the effort of reaching for the book on his night-stand which would cure this, if you were to judge by how he was looking dully at that book.

Danny paused outside the door, feeling exhausted still. It was as though it was all still pressing down on him, as though the strange feeling of disconnect and isolation would never leave him. He drew in a deep breath but it didn't feel him with the calm that he had hoped - it wasn't the clean mountain air that had so soothed him over the past four months. He shook his head and tapped lightly on the door before slipping in.

It only took a moment for Danny to notice where the gaze was pointed. He spared a thin, strained smile and carefully picked his way across the room in a few steps. He picked up the book and held it out to the boy. "Hey, Tommie," he murmured.

It occurred to him then that the boy might not have known he was back and he winced internally but didn't move.

_________________Play it across the tableWhat if we steal this city blind?If they want anything, let 'em nail it down. — Carl Sandburg

Tommie turned his eyes towards the door, but when he saw the tall shape of Danny enter the boy had to actually move his head and give the man a closer look. The round, green eyes followed Danny across the room and then the movements of the man's arm as the book was offered to him.

"Thank you," Tommie said, the expression of gratitude coming before a greeting while he reached out the small distance to take the book, letting it lie next to him on the bed. Carefully he then pushed his hand against that bed to roll himself on to his back so that he could scoot himself up against the pillow and the headboard. Then he offered a soft "hello".

Billy had already told him Danny was back, but Tommie had known before that. He'd been woken by their voices the night Danny had returned, and had recognized the man's accent immediately. It was nice to hear it again, but at the same time it had stirred some fear. He wasn't very good at people, Tommie had never claimed this and would never do so since he really didn't understand how people aside from himself worked and didn't understand why they couldn't understand him, but he did know that this would cause troubles. Freddie had been so angry and Billy so sad during the time Danny had been absent, but Freddie had been angry and Billy sad before that too. And in Tommie's experiences, sadness and anger grew in to bitterness and harshness.

Danny offered safety and happiness and Tommie trusted the man, but at the same time there was a uncertainty connected to the relationship between the two men that Tommie wasn't sure how to handle. He wasn't sure if even Billy's resignation and Danny's attempts to patch things up again could handle it in eternity.

Danny backed away a bit, shoving his hands in his pockets for lack of anything else to do with them. He didn't want to crowd the boy, didn't want to appear at all intimidating. He allowed a small, tired smile to show now, feeling slightly less wary in the boy's presence. At the mention of Freddie, however, the smile died and a shadow crossed Danny's eyes. He looked away, towards the window.

"Ah," he murmured. "Nuthin' good, m'shor."

He sighed, suddenly feeling helpless again, and far too tired to take on the task of reality. He drew in a slow breath through his nose. ". . .Do. . .d'ya wanna go. . .t'the library wit me?" The question was sudden, but quiet - it would almost sound like a plea for help or rescue. "I could. . .use some new books, if ya wouldn't mind gettin' 'im for me. . ."

_________________Play it across the tableWhat if we steal this city blind?If they want anything, let 'em nail it down. — Carl Sandburg

Tommie chose not to answer the first part of what Danny said. While what Freddie had said was quite possibly a lot less harsh than what Danny imagined, what had been said had been spoken in confidence. It was a confidence Tommie was very reluctant to break, and not just due to the part of his personality that made him terribly adverse to conflict. At the mention of the library his slightly drowsy eyes cleared however.

The library was his equivalence of another man's church. It offered him a sanctuary, and not just because of the peace and quiet that was so prevalent between the lines of book-filled shelves. There he could find the knowledge that made sense of a world with little of that quality to it.

The plea that came attached to those words probably entirely passed him by.

"Gladly," he murmured softly, sitting up further. "I didn't know... you read so much." He moved his legs over the edge of the bed with the aid of one of his hands before gesturing to a neat row of books. It was lined up carefully in front of his bookshelf, which had become much more full than it had been when Danny had left them.

"I have a few that need to be... returned. I only have to get dressed."

Danny wasn't terribly surprised that Tommie didn't know he read - he knew the unspoken sentiment was more 'you can read?' rather than surprise at the amount. He knew perfectly well the sort of image people tended to have of him. And with his sort of accent, and the general level of education among country folk. . . No, it wasn't a surprise.

He chuckled softly, though it was subdued. "Mm, I used t'read quite a lot when I was youngah. I liked German classics an' all sorts'a things." He shook his head, going to pull the wheelchair up to the side of the bed. "I still read when. . ."

. . .when I want to escape from things. . .

The words died off and he looked down for a moment, grip tightening on the handles before he looked back up. "I still read." He forced a small smile then and straightened. "I'll jus' go wait in th'livin' room for ya then. Take yer time." He turned to go.

_________________Play it across the tableWhat if we steal this city blind?If they want anything, let 'em nail it down. — Carl Sandburg

Tommie nodded, but then hesitated, looking at Danny's retreating back.

"Danny," he called cautiously. He was still not used to asking for help, but was by then getting rather used to it. There was a distinctly less fearful air around the boy now than there had been before, and while that had come as a relief to his caretakers it had also made that somewhat vacant look that sometimes took his eyes all the more confusing. While unbuttoning a couple of buttons on his pyjamas he added softly; "Would you hand me... some clothes from my wardrobe? It would be faster that way..."

The quiet words stopped Danny and he turned back to the boy; it surprised him, that Tommie would ask for help, but he only offered that small smile again and went to the bureau, digging out a comfortable shirt and pair of pants for the boy before handing them to him. "Here," he murmured. "Ya. . .need 'nythin' else?"

Before, he would've left the boy, knowing Tommie hardly felt comfortable being so vulnerable around anyone, especially not adults - and Danny couldn't blame him in the slightest - but things seemed to have changed.

_________________Play it across the tableWhat if we steal this city blind?If they want anything, let 'em nail it down. — Carl Sandburg

Tommie accepted the clothes with a soft "thank you" and then shook his head. "No. I can... do the rest myself." he said, shifting to sit further out on the edge of the bed. He would wait until Danny had left before he changed out of his pyjamas in to the proper clothes. It wasn't a very smooth process once he became fatigued, but he had thought out ways of making it easier on himself. It wouldn't be long before he could move in to his wheelchair and roll himself out in to the living room slowly.